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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Spotlight On...Larry Phillips

Name: Larry Phillips

Hometown: Brick, NJ

Education: BFA Montclair State University

Favorite Credits: Too hard, couldn’t possibly pick

Why theater?: Because I’m not pretty enough for the movies.

Tell us about Secondary Pitch: It’s the story of 3 brothers. The oldest 2 where very highly touted baseball players growing up. The oldest brother Paul, fizzled out and never achieved his goal of playing professionally. But the middle brother, Stephen went on to have hugely successful career pitching in the Major Leagues. When the play opens Stephen has just retired and we find out he didn’t do very good job saving his money while playing. In order to make some cash, he’s agreed to do a Reality TV Show. But the Producer of the show insists that his brothers appear on the show as well. Kevin the youngest brother is attention seeking whore and is more than happy to be in limelight, but Paul is not so easily persuaded. It a play about jealously, ego, and stopping at nothing to get what you want, so it’s a play about family.

What inspired you to write Secondary Pitch?: Everyone has something they love to watch and do. A particular sport, music, design, something. But just because you love it, doesn’t mean you’re skilled enough to do it professionally. This play is a look at what it might be like for someone who devoted his entire life to baseball, only not to make it. And watch his little brother surpass him and have an amazing career in the Major Leagues without having half the passion that he had for the game.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I’ve always been drawn to plays that are character driven. I think people are fascinating. Everything I write starts with the characters and the plot is born out of them.

If you could work with anyone you've yet to work with, who would it be?: I admire so many people. But when it comes down to it, I really only have 2 heroes; Nathan Lane and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. They may be 2 different types of actors, but there is a furiousness to their work that always spoke to me.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: It recently closed, but I quite liked Second Stage’s production of Sex with Strangers.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Mr. Lane or Mr. Hoffman, and it would be called “I’m Sorry I’m Emotionally Unavailable, I Have Pork Chops Defrosting.”

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: As a kid I loved “Alf”, and it still makes me laugh.What’s the most played song on your iTunes?: “Minority” by Green Day

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Sane.

What’s up next?: I have several plays in various stages of development. But I have 3 that are close to production-ready; Learning to Skip, Arbuckle Syndrome, and Last Chance for Mama. Randomly Specific Theatre hopes to be doing one of these shortly.